Athletics
Five things to know about shock 100m Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs
Born in Texas to an Italian mother, Jacobs has succeeded Usain Bolt as the ‘World’s Fastest Man’.
When successors to Usain Bolt as Olympic 100m champion were being assessed, very few would have considered Italy’s Marcell Jacobs.
But he upset the odds to scorch to victory in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium, winning in a new European record of 9.80.
Five minutes earlier, his Italian team-mate Gianmarco Tamberi shared high jump gold with Mutaz Essa Barshim.
And then in the most prestigious event of them all, Jacobs beat a star-studded field to end 25 years of dominance by sprinters from the Americas.
Jacobs is the first European to win the Olympic 100m title since Britain’s Linford Christie at Barcelona 1992, and Italy’s first Olympic sprint champion since Pietro Mennea took the 200m at Moscow 1980.
Read on to find out five facts about the man who can now proudly carry the tag of ‘World’s Fastest Man’.
Born in the USA, but definitely Italian
Lamont Marcell Jacobs was born on 26 September 1994 in El Paso, Texas to an Italian mother and American father.
His mother Viviana told Corriere Della Sera, “I met Marcell’s father in Vicenza. He was a soldier in the US Army. I was 16 and he was 18. We got married and moved to Texas.
“After about three years, Marcell was born. But 20 days later, his father was transferred to South Korea. It was impossible to follow him, so I decided to go back to Italy. Marcell wasn’t even a month old.”
Jacobs has spoken about going to the United States to meet his father, but admits his English is not very good.
Young Marcell tried a number of sports before he eventually settled on athletics.
His mother continued, “Coming from a family of motorcyclists, I always advised against that choice. For the rest he tried everything, from swimming to basketball: I wanted him to discover his passion. Plus I had to make him tired, because he did not stand still even while he slept!”
Jacobs recalled to Corriere della Sera the words of his school coach, “Since I wasn’t particularly skilled at football, but I was fast he told me: ‘Why don’t you try another sport like athletics?’”
A sprinter and long jumper
The young Jacobs made his first impression in athletics at national level in the long jump.
At the 2016 Italian Championships, he took victory with a distance of 7.89m, with his personal best 7.95m although he also jumped 8.48m with a +2.8m/s following wind that year.
But he made real strides on the track in 2018, claiming his first national 100m title and going close to the magic 10-second barrier.
During the Covid lockdown of 2020, he trained at a house close to Lake Garda with a mini-athletics arena including a 90m track and long jump pit.
Those sessions paid off as he made an impact right at the start of the 2021 season.
Jacobs announces himself at European Indoors
Jacobs was far from a household name at the start of 2021, but he soon put a change to that.
At March’s European Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland, he produced a power-packed display to take men’s 60m gold in 6.47, the fastest time in the world this year and a new Italian record.
And in his first outdoor meeting of the year in Savona, he set a new Italian 100m record of 9.95 seconds.
After that, he told Corriere della Sera, “I am going to Tokyo to win a medal. Bolt is not there, Coleman is not there, there’s not a clear favourite, it’ll be a battle. I can’t stop dreaming now…”
What do Jacobs’ tattoos mean?
Scaling 1.88m and weighing over 80kg, Jacobs is one of the bigger sprinters of the circuit.
But perhaps more striking at the number of tattoos the Italian has, which are clearly visible around his race vest.
He calls the tattoos a representation of his “America” side, with one reading, “Famiglia. Dove nasce la vita e l’amore non ha mai fine,” which translates as “Family. Where life is born and love never ends.”
On his chest he has a rose and, in Italian, the famous Charlie Chaplin quote “What is really good is to fight with determination, embrace life and live it with passion! Lose your battles with class and dare to win because the world belongs to those who dare.”
Also on his body are the names of his children and his partner Meghan on his right bicep.
On his back is a tiger representing “strength, passion and beauty” and on his arm is a cross with the word ‘Believe’.
Just below his neck he has the words ‘CrazyLongJumper’ which is also his nickname on Social Media.
Jacobs looked up to Carl Lewis and Andrew Howe
Breaking the Italian record was Jacobs’ first objective of 2021, but the second was to fulfil a long-held ambition of competing at the Olympic Games.
He told Corriere Della Sera, “From the first time I stepped on the track aged nine, I dreamt of the Olympics. On my bedroom wall I had the newspaper page of the famous Carl Lewis commercial with him wearing stiletto heels in the starting blocks.
“But my idol as a child was Andrew Howe who, like me is mixed race and half-American. I could identify with him.”
Howe, born in Los Angeles, won the European jump title for Italy in 2006 and took world silver the following year.
Athletics
Kenyans and Ethiopians dominate the half marathon at ECOWAS Marathon, Nigerians win 5 km race
Kenya Harrison Muchira Wanjiru won the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon half-marathon on Saturday in 1 hour 04.39; on his heels was another Kenyan, Adam Sulaiman Muhamad, who was second in 1.05.27, and a Nigerian Francis James Musa came third in 1.05.51.
If Kenyans dominated the men’s race, the women’s race was dominated by Ethiopians. Lydia Natiyaka Wamalawa of Ethiopia won the women’s race in 1 hour 15.3, Aberash Minsewo, another Ethiopian, was second in 1.17.14, and like in the men’s race, a Nigerian Patience Dalyop was third in 1.21.15.
Nigerian runners dominated the 5 km race, they also won most of the prizes reserved for ECOWAS citizens.
Each one for his reason, thousands of runners pounded the streets of Abuja on Saturday as the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon flags off at the ECOWAS Commission Yakubu Gowon Way, a little after 8.00 am, while the 5 km race started shortly after.
For the elite runners that participated in the 21-kilometer race of Africa’s most lucrative half-marathon, the focus was on the $ 10,000 prize money for the top finisher.
Ditto for the top runners in the 5km race whose sights were also fixed on the prize money for the top five finishers.
For former presidential aspirant Omoyele Sowore, a constant face in marathons and road races in Nigeria, America and other parts of the world, the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon was another medium to carry his message of justice for humanity to every part of the world.
Sowore did not run alone; he ran with the #Run with Sowore Group and other members of his Lazy Man Athletics Club.
However, the majority of runners like Blessing Mozie participated because running has become a way of life.
A staff member of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria, she ran on Saturday because running has become a part and parcel of Lagos-born Mozie’s life.
Before moving to Abuja, Mozie participated in several editions of the Lagos City Marathon, running the full marathon, but she ran the 5 km on Saturday because she is not used to the Abuja roads.
”I was born in Lagos, I grew up there, so I am familiar with the route, but I am not too familiar with the Abuja routes. Maybe in future, I will run the half marathon and the full marathon in Abuja.
“I think running is something everybody should do because of its immense health benefits.
“For me, running is not a fashion statement but a way of life because it is good for the body generally, and I am encouraging everybody to embrace the culture of running; the benefits are immeasurable.
An estimated 5,000 Nigerian and international runners battled for $71,000 prize money on Saturday.
The men’s and women’s winners of the 21 km half-marathon race won $10,000.
Also, all the first 200 runners to cross the line received bronze medals to show they had participated.
The Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee and ECOWAS Director of Youth and Sports, Amb. Francis Njoaguani noted that the event was part of activities to commemorate ECOWAS at 50.
Njoaguani stated that the initiative is aimed at encouraging regional participation and celebrating homegrown talent.
He noted that the future goal is to achieve the World Athletics Gold Label status within the next four years, positioning the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon among the most prestigious road races globally.
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Nigeria’s foremost marathon and road race club, the High Altitude Athletics Club of Jos, Plateau State, is sending a strong field of elite runners to the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon, which will take place on Saturday, March 1, 2025.
Stephen Nuhu, the club manager and coach, disclosed that over 30 runners have arrived in Abuja for Saturday’s race.
The runners who will compete in the half marathon include Sati Musa Bala, Mathias Nenfort Gofwen, Mandela Banki, Geofrey Koptin Gomam, John Dauda, Elisha Friday, Shaba Dare Eniola, Yohanna Friday, Gwet Tokbe Christopher, Shambor Blessing Solomon, Agofure Charity, Akusho Lydia Thomas, Danjuma Agnes, and Mathew Nancy.
Nuhu also disclosed that his club aim to win the men’s and women’s titles and also the 5km family race,
“We have some very good young runners who have what it takes to win the 5km, our challenge is the 21km race. We are determined to beat the teams from other ECOWAS nations, especially Ghana, Senegal and others who we are reliably informed are sending a strong team”
Nuhu commended the ECOWAS Commission for increasing the prize money and prompt payment,
“When it comes to prompt payment of prize money, ECOWAS Commission is number one, they will never tell you stories, you get your money once technical officials have certified you as the winner.”
Elsewhere, the Ghanaian Athletics Association and the Ghana Army are also sending strong teams to the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.
The Ghana team expressed readiness to storm Abuja with 20 men and women runners with the sole aim of winning some prizes in the men’s and women’s categories.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Okon, the Race Director, has urged registered runners to collect the running number, vest, certificate, participants’ guide and others at the VIO Office, Federal Secretariat Car Park, Eagles Square, Abuja,
“We are there from 9 am to 5 pm daily, registered runners and those that intend to register are welcome, they can fill out the form free and collect their kits immediately”.
Okon warned that there won’t be registration and collection of kits on race day.
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Athletics
ECOWAS Marathon announces exclusive prize money for West African runners, targets World Athletics Gold Label status
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has unveiled an exclusive prize money incentive for West African runners participating in the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.
The announcement was made on Thursday at a press conference by the ECOWAS Commission, the sponsor of the marathon.
According to ECOWAS Director of Youth and Sports, Amb. Francis Njoaguani, who also serves as the Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee, the first West African runner to cross the finish line will receive $1,000.
The second-place finisher will earn $500, while the third, fourth, and fifth-place runners will receive $400, $250, and $200, respectively.
This initiative is aimed at encouraging regional participation and celebrating homegrown talent.
Njoaguani emphasized ECOWAS’ long-term vision to elevate the marathon to international prominence.
He stated that the goal is to achieve the World Athletics Gold Label status within the next four years, positioning the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon among the most prestigious road races globally.
Currently, the marathon stands as the most lucrative half marathon in Africa, offering an impressive prize structure for both men and women.
Winners of the 21km race will each take home $10,000, while second and third-place finishers will earn $5,000 and $4,000, respectively.
The fourth-place runner will receive $3,500, followed by $3,000 for the fifth, $2,500 for the sixth, $2,000 for the seventh, $1,500 for the eighth, $1,200 for the ninth, and $1,000 for the tenth-place finisher.
In the 5km category, the first-place winner will receive $1,000, the second-place finisher $300, the third-place $250, the fourth-place $150, and the fifth-place $100.
Njoaguani expressed his delight at the marathon’s rapid growth and increasing popularity. He recalled the challenges faced in its early years but noted that it has since evolved into a highly anticipated sporting event.
The 2025 edition, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, is expected to attract over 5000 runners from across the globe.
To mark this milestone, ECOWAS is fully sponsoring runners from all member states, both men and women, to participate.
Additionally, significant interest has been shown by runners from Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as from other regions beyond Africa, including the United States, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Switzerland.
For this edition, some minor adjustments have been made to the race routes.
The 21km race will begin and end at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters, ensuring a seamless and well-coordinated course for participants.
Meanwhile, the 5km race will start Independence Drive by Sahad Stores and CDB and conclude at the ECOWAS Commission.
Beyond its competitive aspect, the marathon serves as a unifying platform for West African nations. Njoaguani highlighted that the marathon is more than just a race, emphasizing that it is a means of fostering regional integration, bringing people together to interact, celebrate fitness, and strengthen the bonds within the community.
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